Valparaiso, IN Personal Injury Law Firm Fights for Injured Plaintiffs
Indiana Accident Attorneys Experienced with Cases Involving Drowsy Drivers
Drowsy driving is operating a motor vehicle while impaired by lack of sleep. However, someone doesn’t have to be nodding off at the wheel to be driving while fatigued. Whenever a driver’s response time, situational awareness, and decision-making capabilities are negatively affected by lack of sleep, they could be at a higher risk of getting into an accident.
According to AAA, drivers who had slept only five or six hours in the last 24 hours were twice as likely to cause a crash as those who got seven hours of sleep or more. Those driving on only four or five hours of sleep were four times more likely to get into an accident, a crash rate comparable to drunk drivers. But unfortunately, there is no breathalyzer to sense when a driver may be sleep-deprived.
Misconceptions About Drowsy Driving
People have many misconceptions about driving on little or no sleep, such as:
- I know when I’m falling asleep. Sleep is involuntary and cannot be predicted.
- Drinking coffee keeps me awake. Caffeine may make you feel more alert, but its effect lasts only a short time.
- I only get tired when I drive a long distance. According to AAA, 21 percent of study respondents had been driving for three hours or more when they became drowsy, while 59 percent had been driving for less than an hour when they fell asleep.
Contact a Qualified Valparaiso, IN Personal Injury Law Firm
Did you suffer injuries in an accident involving a drowsy driver? Contact Kelly Law Offices, LLC online or call 1-800-859-8800 to schedule your free initial consultation with an experienced Valparaiso, IN lawyer today.
